As the 2025 WNBA season approaches, teams have started coring players to either retain them or offer them trade options. Cored players receive an offer for a one-year supermax contract and an option to negotiate different terms. Another important detail about coring a player is that the free agent cannot sign directly with another team. However, they can be part of a trade offer by the coring team. These are the top players who their current team has cored:
- Kelsey Plum — Las Vegas Aces
- Satou Sabally— Dallas Wings
- Gabby Williams — Seattle Storm
- Breanna Stewart— New York Liberty
Kelsey Plum — Aces
Plum has been with the Aces since the beginning. The San Antonio Stars drafted her No. 1 overall in 2017. If the Aces cannot retain Plum, they will lose their engine, attacker at the rim, lethal shooter, heartbeat and leader on and off the court. She has been a crucial part of the Aces’ success in recent years. The Aces’ back-to-back championship rings wouldn’t happen without Plum. She won MVP at the 2022 All-Star Game, a gold medal in 3×3 basketball at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and gold with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Plum loves to win and knows how to win; if traded, she would go to a championship contention team.
The Aces’ loss of two top assistant coaches in the offseason might influence Plum’s decision to accept the offer. She had a close relationship with the current head coaches of the Golden State Valkyries, Natalie Nakase and Tyler Marsh, who now heads the Chicago Sky.
Plum finished the 2024 WNBA season with the Aces averaging:
- Games played 38 of 40 games
- Points per game = 17.8
- Total rebounds = 2.6
- Assists per game = 4.2
- Field goal = 42.3%
- 3-point = 36.8%
- Free-throw line = 86.6%
Satou Sabally — Wings
Sabally recently announced her desire not to return to Dallas. The Wings drafted her second overall in 2020. She gave the organization her all through the ups and downs. However, her WNBA career has not been smooth sailing, and she has had several injuries throughout the four years. She has had shoulder, knee, achilles, ankle and concussion injuries. It has not been all downfalls in her young career; she had an outstanding 2023 season, being named on the All-WNBA Team, winning Most Improved Player, and being a two-time All-Star.
Whichever team the Wings trade her to will gain a post player who does the little things, shoots the ball, attacks the rim and crashes the boards.
Sabally finished the 2024 WNBA season with the Wings averaging:
- Games played 15 of 40 games
- Points per game = 17.9
- Total rebounds = 6.4
- Assists per game = 5.0
- Field goal = 42.6%
- 3-point = 45.2%
- Steals per game = 1.3
- Blocks per game = 0.5
Gabby Williams — Seattle
Williams was drafted fourth overall by the Chicago Sky in 2018. She played for the Sky from 2018 to 2021 and then with the Storm from 2022 to 2023. She played in the second half of the 2024 season with Seattle. Williams has been in and out of the league due to overseas commitments. She has stated her desire not to play in the WNBA for financial reasons. Seattle is better as a team with Williams on the roster—a sharpshooter who plays both sides of the court.
In late 2022, she stated, “Shying away from the W because teams aren’t touching what I’m making in Europe.”
Williams finished the 2024 WNBA season with Seattle averaging:
- Games played 12 of 40 games
- Points per game = 10.3
- Total rebounds = 4.0
- Assists per game 3.7
- Field goal = 48.1%
- 3-point = 32.3%
- Free throw line = 73.7%
Breanna Stewart — New York
Reigning champion Stewart was drafted by Seattle No. 1 overall in 2016. She was with the Storm from 2016-2022 and decided to leave Seattle to sign with the New York Liberty in 2023. The three-time champion will mostly accept her offer with New York. She was a key factor in the 2024 championship run with New York, bringing the Liberty their first championship. Her accolades are endless. She’s a co-founder of Unrivaled Basketball with Napheesa Collier and their inaugural season starts tonight at 7:00 pm ET in Miami. The viewers can stream the games on TNT and truTV.
Stewart finished the 2024 WNBA season with New York averaging:
- Games played 38 of 40 games
- Points per game = 20.4
- Total rebounds = 8.5
- Assists per game 3.5
- Field goal = 45.8%
- 3-point = 29.5%
- Free throw line = 84.5%
The 2025 WNBA season starts May 16.
